By Ezra Ukanwa

THE federal government has expressed readiness to partner and support the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, as soon as they were ready to raise the standard of services.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who stated this when members of the AON, led by Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja yesterday, said: “I don’t want to operate as a ghost, I said one of my policies is to operate an open policy.

”I said bring up your challenges so that Nigerians would understand exactly where government and airlines operators stands.”

Keyamo noted that AON was critical to the growth and development of the aviation industry and the country at large, adding that the government was ready to help them operate profitably.

He assured of a possible review of all BASA agreements, and stressed the need for AON to renew and repair their fleets to encourage passengers’ patronage.

some of the constraints and challenges and probable solutions to Nigeria’s aviation industry.

Among the challenges highlighted were foreign exchange, Jet A1 fuel, cost of capital and funding options, infrastructure, taxes, fees and charges as well as government policies.

AON, as part of its solution proposition, requested for licenses for Jet A1 importation and distribution through strategic partnership and an immediate review of all industry taxes, fees and charges.

The body also called for immediate renegotiation of all existing BASAs and Multilateral Air Service Agreements, MASAs, in line with provision of Single Africa Air Transport Market, SAATM, with emphasis on the principle of reciprocity in favor of domestic airlines.